Learn how to make the BEST Garlic Mashed Potatoes … they’re creamy, dreamy, and so easy to prepare!
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Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of creamy Mashed Potatoes?
I can’t think of many things. Mashed Potatoes are the definition of comfort food, and no holiday meal (at least in my family) would be complete without them.
While a basic bowl of potatoes is delicious, sometimes you want to kick things up a notch. And that’s exactly what we’re doing today with these yummy Garlic Mashed Potatoes. These dreamy potatoes are super creamy, and the addition of garlic puts them totally over the top!
Have I convinced you that you need to make these potatoes ASAP? Then let’s talk about how to make the perfect Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
This recipe uses a combination of fresh garlic and roasted garlic to make the BEST Garlic Mashed Potatoes ever!
We’re using lots of garlic here, but don’t let that give you pause. All that garlic is perfectly balanced due to a couple tricks which I’ll share below. And it’s actually relatively subtle all things considered.
What makes these potatoes especially scrumptious though, is that they’re super creamy. These are Mashed Potatoes that you will crave, especially if you love garlic!
I know you’re going to love this tasty recipe, so keep reading for all the delicious details.
Ingredients for Garlic Mashed Potatoes
This creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe uses simple, delicious ingredients you can find in any grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Potatoes
- Fresh and Roasted Garlic
- Sour Cream
- Whole Milk
- Unsalted Butter
- Salt (I prefer Kosher salt.)
- Pepper (Make sure to use fresh-cracked pepper.)
I love using red potatoes when I make mashed potatoes, and I keep the skins on. Feel free to substitute your favorite high starch potatoes though … I prefer buttery Yukon Golds, but Russet and baking potatoes work, too. And of course, you can peel the potatoes if you prefer.
This recipe calls for fresh garlic cloves and roasted garlic (which I’ll show you how to make … it’s super easy). Don’t worry if it seems like a lot of garlic, because the end result is well-balanced. If you’re a garlic lover like me, feel free to add even more garlic (although I have to mention that I’ve tested this recipe with extra garlic and actually preferred this version).
I used sour cream to make these potatoes extra creamy and add a little tang. If you’d prefer, you can use cream cheese instead of sour cream, like I do for my family-favorite Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes. Just follow this recipe, adding the garlic as indicated here.
Feel free to get creative with this Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes recipe! I love adding other ingredients, like chives or cheese. Cheddar is delicious and Parmesan is good, too.
How to Make the BEST Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Let’s get started with this easy recipe! You’ll begin by roasting the garlic.
Roasting the Garlic
Remove the papery skin from a large head of garlic, leaving the cloves intact. Then, use a sharp knife to remove about 1/4 to 1/2-inch from the head, exposing the tops of the cloves. You may need to cut around the outside of the head, too, to make sure you get all the cloves.
Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, then rub it into the cut side of the cloves with your fingers. Sprinkle the garlic lightly with salt, then wrap it in foil. (You can use a garlic roaster, or another oven-safe dish, if you prefer not to use foil.)
Roast the garlic until it’s tender and lightly browned. It should take about 40 to 50 minutes. I like to check on the garlic at about 40 minutes, then go from there.
Once the roasted garlic is done, set it aside until it’s cool enough to handle. Then, squeeze the cloves from their skins and chop them up.
Tip: feel free to roast the garlic ahead of time. Simply throw a head or two in the oven the next time you bake something. Check out my Roasted Garlic recipe for more tips!
Cooking the Potatoes
In the meantime, you can start on the potatoes. Cut your potatoes into chunks, making sure they’re all about the same size. Add the potatoes to a large pot, along with six large cloves of fresh, peeled garlic.
Cover the potatoes and garlic with COLD, well-salted water. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook the potatoes until they’re fork tender.
I like to taste a potato or two to make sure they’re perfect.
Tips: worried about adding too much garlic? Don’t be! As the garlic cooks, the cloves soften, and the flavor mellows out.
Mashing the Potatoes
Drain the potatoes and garlic well, then place them back in the cooking pot, along with the sour cream, butter, and a little milk. Don’t pour in all the milk at once … you can always add more, but you can’t take it away if you add too much!
Then, start mashing your potatoes, adding just enough milk as you go to get your preferred consistency.
I prefer a little texture in my mashed red potatoes, so I use a potato masher. For the smoothest mashed potatoes though, you’ll want to use a potato ricer. A ricer will give you super smooth potatoes without turning them into a gluey, overworked mess.
Tip: for best results, use warm milk (heat it up in your microwave or on the stove), room temperature butter, and take the sour cream out of the fridge when you start the potatoes. This will ensure your potatoes stay hot, as well as making them easier to mash.
Finishing the Potatoes
When your potatoes are just about done, add the chopped, roasted garlic, and give them a good stir.
For perfect mashed potatoes, make sure to taste your potatoes and season them generously with salt and pepper. Do not skip this step, or you will have bland potatoes.
And that’s it, your creamy, dreamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes are ready to eat! Don’t you just want to dive into that bowl of buttery potatoes?
What to Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Now that you know how to make these delicious Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes, let’s talk about what to serve them with!
Personally, I could eat these mashed potatoes any old day of the week or even make a meal out of them (ha, total carb lover here). But these potatoes are especially great served with a special meal, like for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Here’s a special vegetarian holiday meal plan that I created to inspire you … with all new recipes that I’m sharing this week:
- Baked Ricotta – a crave-worthy start to the meal that’s so easy to prepare!
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes – you are here! Serve these potatoes drizzled with melted butter or with my fave Mushroom Gravy.
- Mushroom Stuffing – no holiday meal is complete without an awesome dressing recipe.
- Cranberry Orange Sauce – this simple sauce is a holiday classic for a reason! My recipe has a special ingredient that really makes it pop!
- Vegetable Pie – this showstopping entree will be the talk of your party.
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake – you’re going to love this fun, easy twist on the classic pumpkin pie!
Have leftover mashed potatoes after the big meal? Use them to make this yummy Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
For Roasted Garlic:
- 1 large head garlic
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
For Mashed Potatoes:
- 3 pounds red potatoes
- 6 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 to 1 cup whole milk, warmed
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
Prepare Roasted Garlic:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Remove excess papery skin from garlic, leaving cloves intact. Use a sharp knife to slice top off cloves.
- Drizzle olive oil over exposed cloves, then rub into cloves with your fingers. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Wrap garlic in foil, then roast until cloves are tender and browned, about 40 to 50 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set aside. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic cloves from skins, then chop.
Prepare Mashed Potatoes:
- Peel potatoes (if desired) and chop.
- Add potatoes to a large pot, along with 6 garlic cloves (raw, not roasted). Cover potatoes with cold, well-salted water.
- Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove lid, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook potatoes until tender.
- Drain potatoes, then add sour cream and butter. Mash, adding just enough milk to reach desired consistency.
- Stir in chopped, roasted garlic, then season potatoes generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve potatoes hot. Enjoy!
Nutrition
